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Live Streaming Practice 2

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Second Practice of Live Streaming Using OBS and YouTube Live
July 15, 2019

Overview

In my second practice session, I decided to use an external camera, as I was unable to do that during the first attempt. After researching why, I was able to find the necessary tools to convert the external video camera’s signal to my computer so that it can be chosen as a source in OBS.

Watch A Recording of the Live Stream

Image of OBS Application

Screen Shot of OBS
Screen Shot of OBS

Image of Camera & Video Card

I used a Canon Vixia Video Camera and the Mirabox USB-C Video Capture Card to convert the video to my Mac so that OBS could use the video camera as a video image source to capture from. The image below illustrates how the camera and video card are connected.The tutorial video below covers the OBS setting needed when using an external camera and the Mirabox Capture Card.

Canon Vixia HD Video Camera

Mirabox Capture Card
Mirabox Capture Card

Image of Live Stream Via YouTube

Screen Shot of Second Live Stream Dashboard
Screen Shot of Second Live Stream Dashboard

Reflection

In this attempt, I was able to connect an external video camera to my computer using the Mirabox Video Capture Card. This allows for more flexibility in when and where we can stream live events – not relying only on the built-in webcam. At first, the video wasn’t working. I had to conduct a lot of research to figure out the video settings inside of OBS to get it to recognize the video stream. After I got that working, I attempted my first recording. Unfortunately, when playing back the recording, I noticed the audio was not synched with the video – the sound was coming about 3 seconds before the video. I could have synched the audio in post-production editing, but wanted to fix it in the live version so the streaming video would be properly synched. After much additional research, I was able to adjust the settings in OBS so that the video rendered in synch with the audio. With the ability to use a external, High Definition camera and the audio and video in synch, I am now able to produce high quality streaming videos from any location with an Internet connection.

Engaging With A Live Audience

The next chapter of this adventure includes ideas for engaging with our live audience. Engagement is important so that audiences are left with only looking at a screen and listening to a lecture or talk. Engagement will depend on delivery method. For example, when using Facebook, you can see who is logged in and watching your live feed, which allows you to callout people by name as a simple way of engaging them. Other ways to engage include:

Polling: Some streaming services allow for polling audiences. Polls can be determined and setup ahead of time so that audiences can provide immediate feedback to the speaker.

Comments/Chat: Audiences can provide comments and chat during lives sessions. This allows the speaker to ask question and audience members to respond via comments or chat. It also allows the audience members to ask questions that the speaker can respond to in the live environment.

Links & Resources: The speaker can share out links and resources for audience members to access during or after the session. These could also be provided in promotional materials so that audience members can access them before the session and then bring their questions to the session or submit them ahead of time through a survey tool of sorts.

Hidden Gems / Easter Eggs: In gaming, Easter Eggs are hidden bonuses that players may or may not know to look for. In a live streaming event, we could have information that is only provided during the session that leads to some “fun” bonus prize like a free drink or chocolate.

Demonstration: By providing a demonstration during the live stream, you can encourage audience members to follow along and try themselves. If supplies are needed, a list of materials can be provided in the promotional materials.

Follow-up: Live events can serve as a springboard to work that needs to happen after the event. For example, you might interview a specialist in the field that couldn’t make it to the classroom and then have students follow up with an activity or reflection.

Resources

Challenges

  • Connecting an External Camera – Need a video mixer to do this. I was able to identify the problem and equipment I need to order for the future. – Fixed
  • Our WiFi and Firewall at our Institution was blocking the port needed for live streaming to YouTube. – Fixed
  • The design of the slides to match the video and text sizes took several attempts.
  • CSS for YouTube’s chat window in order to include it in my live stream.

Live Steaming Practice

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Practices of Live Streaming Using OBS and YouTube Live
July 11, 2019

Overview

For this project, I decided to test Live Streaming of video. As a district, our college often offers the same information session at multiple colleges. By streaming video, we can save travel and time by hosting viewing parties with moderators at each of the colleges.

Watch A Recording of the Live Stream

Image of Live Stream Via YouTube

Live Stream Test Screen Shot
Live Stream Test Screen Shot

Resources

Challenges

  • Connecting an External Camera – Need a video mixer to do this. I was able to identify the problem and equipment I need to order for the future.
  • Our WiFi and Firewall at our Institution was blocking the port needed for live streaming to YouTube.
  • The design of the slides to match the video and text sizes took several attempts.
  • CSS for YouTube’s chat window in order to include it in my live stream.

Live Streaming

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Oregon State University – LXD: Advanced Tools & E-Learning Trends
June 3 – July 21, 2019

Overview

Our college is a part of a district, and we hold several meetings covering the same topic often. The purpose of this project is to test live streaming as an option to conduct these meetings in order to reduce the number of face-to-face meetings and traveling required to offer several face-to-face meetings at different locations. A potential added benefit is for our Instructional Design and Instructional Technology teams to collaborate on the development of a course that would teach faculty how to use this technology in the classroom.

Audience

Seattle College’s Instructional Designers & Instructional Technologists

Space & Equipment

We were fortunate enough to be able to acquire space within our facility and turn it into a video/audio recording studio. It comes with two side post-production rooms where we can record or edit as well – pictured below. Seattle Colleges Recording Studio

The recording studio is great for streaming basic announcements and other content where a live audience isn’t present. However, live streaming events will require us to have equipment that can travel to different locations. So, we purchased the following equipment

  • two cameras (pictured below) from Amazon
  • Portable LED Lighting (included w/Cameras)
  • Tripods on Wheels (2)
  • Wireless Lapel Microphones (2).
JVC GY-HM250 UHD 4K Streaming Camcorder
JVC GY-HM250 UHD 4K Streaming Camcorder

Server & Software

Based on initial research, and the watching of How To Live Stream On YouTube With OBS | Fast Start Guide, I’ll be using the Google Live Streaming server in collaboration with Open Broadcast Software (OBS) on a Mac.

Practice Podcast: Plagiarism

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Solving Instructional Problems, with Justin Time
June 19

Seattle Central Podcast Production Crew
Seattle Central Podcast Production Crew

Overview

In this episode, Kevin Bowersox-Johnson, Director of eLearning at Seattle Central College steps in for Justin Time. Kevin explores the topic of Plagiarism with faculty member, Yun Moh, and Instructional Designer, Robin Leeson. Listen in as they discuss the problem and share pedagogical strategies for reducing Plagiarism and tools for supporting the effort.

Listen Now

Resources

Our Guests

Yun Moh Yun Moh, Instructional Designer

Yun has been supporting faculty members and academic departments at Seattle Central as an instructional designer since 2015. He has been sharing instructional design knowledge such as Quality Matters and Universal Design along with over 20 years of teaching and curriculum development experience in online and hybrid courses using innovative pedagogy and technology.


Robin Leeson Robin Leeson, Instructional Designer

Robin provides a variety of Instructional Design support and services including course design consultation, faculty training, and captioning. Robin also serves on the Accessibility and Guided Pathways committees. Robin has a Master’s degree in both Adult Learning and English/Creative Writing.

Our Team

Kevin Bowersox-Johnson Kevin Bowersox-Johnson, Director

Kevin has over 25 years experience in Education and Instructional Technology & Distance Education. He has a Mater’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and has taught in both K-12 and Higher Education environments. Kevin has supported several higher education institutions develop policies, procedures, and academic programs specific to distance education.


Jesse Hernandez Jesse Hernandez, Instructional Technologist / Producer

Jesse is a transplant from the Sunshine State who started as a student at Seattle Central. Jesse has served as a Student IT Consultant in our TLC before accepting the position of Instructional Technologist where he works closely with our Instructional Designers and Faculty. His primary role is teaching faculty how to use our college’s technology tools. Jesse also serves as our Podcast Producer.

Podcasts

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Oregon State University – LXD: Advanced Tools & E-Learning Trends
June 3 – July 21, 2019

Overview

Many of our faculty have expressed interest in podcasting as a way of adding another, portable element to their course.  Most of the interest surrounds the creation of content that students can access on the move when commuting to class from devices such as their phones. As the Director of eLearning, it is my role to lead the team who supports faculty in these endeavors and teach them pedagogically sound practices for doing so. Therefore, my team and I decided to create a podcast that focuses on innovative ways to solve instructional problems. As a part of this project, we hope to create a model podcast, handouts that guide faculty in how to do this both technically and pedagogically and provide a studio setting with equipment to do it in. Since this project started, we have also decided to create an Introduction to Podcasting Course for our faculty as well.

I imagine that objectives for that course might look something like the following:

After completion of this training, learners will be able to…

  1. Define podcast in their own words.
    • Podcast vs. Vodcast
  2. Align a pedagogical rationale for using podcasts in their classroom to their learning objectives.

  3. Develop a podcast structure in alignment with their instructional objectives.

  4. Create a sample podcast with intro/outro music
    • Identify tools and equipment needed for creating a podcast.
    • Locate and download intro/outro music to the podcast.
    • Use Audacity to record and edit the podcast.
    • Choose a server to host their podcast.
    • Share the RSS feed link to their podcasts with others.

Audience

Higher Education Faculty

Space & Equipment

We were fortunate enough to be able to acquire space within our facility and turn it into a video/audio recording studio. It comes with two side post-production rooms where we can record or edit as well – pictured below.

Seattle Colleges Recording Studio

For podcasting, we have ordered the Rodecaster-Pro Bundle with four mics, cables, positionable stands, and headsets.  

Seattle Central's Podcast Studio

Production

Being the organizational freak that I am, I wanted to make sure we did this right. So, I called an initial production meeting last week. At our first meeting, we discussed the purpose, target audience, potential structure, and topics. Because I don’t want to start something we are not serious about, I said we wouldn’t go live with our first edition until we had recorded at least 12 of the first 24 episodes. We hope to record these over the summer and begin releasing in the Fall. Things we are to bring to our next meeting include potential names, topics, and ideas for intro/outro music, Logo, marketing, etc.

    • Music for Intro and Outro: Bensoud. The team was provided with three different music pieces. 
    • Recording/Editing Software: Audacity.

At our second production meeting we worked on Podcasts structure (segments), name, and example topics. We decided that we were going to let the topics more organically develop by asking faculty to share challenges and successes with us. The general structure will be as follows:

Draft Title

Solving Instructional Problems, with Justin Time

Structure

  • 2 episodes per month, on the 1stand 3rdMondays.
  • 1stMonday: Full episode, exploring an instructional problem, identifying both pedagogical and technical solutions with faculty. Visual companion that includes a video demonstrating the tool and resources for further reading.
  • 3rdMonday: Condensed episode, exploring how to incorporate various topics into a class, with instructors doing that work. Center around current & upcoming issues, themes, and campus events.

Segments

  1. Introduction (3 minutes): Provide the audience with the vodcast/producer identification reinforcing the program recognition and the “fan” base.
    • Podcast intro, music, hook and tagline
    • Episode intro, with faculty member present and present the problem
    • Ask faculty member to introduce themselves to the listener (what they teach, a little about themselves, and their learning environments)
  2. Define problem with SME (3-5 minutes): Lay out the problem elements for the listeners to connect with their own experience. Invite the listeners to identify themselves in the problem and start visualizing the situation.
    • We presented the problem in the introduction
    • We ask the SME to tell us more about the problem, including how they have experienced it within their own classes
    • We ask the SME about the impact of the problem on students and faculty alike
    • Questions for the SME:
      • Can you tell us more about what this problem is?
      • How have you experienced this in your classroom?
      • How did you notice the problem was occurring?
      • Why is this a problem?
      • What is the impact of this problem, and who does it impact (students, instructors, or both)?
  1. SME Solution (8-10 minutes): Present the SME’s solution using the 5W1H approach demonstrating the problem-solving process, the rational, and the outcomes. The listeners have an opportunity to compare them with their own situations, and they may and may not fully associate with the SME’s solution.
    • We ask the SME how they’ve solved the problem within their own classes, and let them take us through their process
    • We ask if the solution worked or not, and what did they learn from it either way
    • We ask the SME for any advice they might give to other faculty trying to implement the solution
    • Questions for the SME:
      • Please summarize for everyone the solution you implemented
      • How did you identify the solution (for example, what resources did you refer to, did you consult with peers, etc.?)
      • Why did you choose this particular solution to implement?
      • Did this resolve the problem in your class, and how could you tell?
      • What challenges did you face in implementing this solution?
      • What advice do you have for anyone else wrestling with this problem?
      • Any suggestions on putting your solution into practice for instructors from different disciplines, or who teach in different learning environments?
  1. Tool Presentation (7-10 minutes): Regroup and align the conversation to the tools and solutions that the podcast series plans to cover in 12 episodes. This segment may include tools not covered in the SME Solution section to provide more general solutions.
    • We present a particular tool that we feel can help solve the problem
    • We talk about why the tool was chosen and what it can do to help with the problem
    • We talk about any challenges or considerations when using the tool
    • If SME used the tool, we ask them for any suggestions they might have
    • Visual companion should include a video demonstrating using the tool, created in conjunction with the SME, when possible
    • Presenter to include:
      • Which tool was chosen, and why
      • What considerations should an instructor make when using this tool?
      • What are the benefits of using the tool?
      • What are the challenges of using the tool?
      • What resources are available to instructors using the tool?
  1. Q&A (2-3 minutes): Provide listener participation to the current and the next episode. Connect the listeners and the SME.
      • Solicit questions on the topic in advance (for the current or next episode?)
      • Include SME for Q&A
  2. Acknowledgements & Closer (1 minute): Provide a hook to the next episode. Create a sense of community.
      • Thank the SME for presenting
      • Thank the listener for tuning in
      • Preview the next episode